WAR

Kilotons and then more by Carlos Cumpian

Kilotons and then some
Bombs on hot and crowded Nagasaki
and Hiroshima.
Bombs on hated Hai-phong harbor and Hanoi.
Bombs on the Caribbean jewel Puerto Rico
for almost a century—
Bombs on the presidential building
of socialist Chile in ’73.
Bombs off Mexico’s Veracruz,
shot by U.S. Marines in 1914.
Bombs over the once many starfish
of now–radiated Pacific isles.
Bombs over thee Buddha’s blood fields
in Cambodia.
Bombs over Christ’s homeland
of Palestine.
Bombs over the cactus and lizards
of the New Mexican desert.
Bombs under the Nevada oasis
scattering Las Vegas.
Bombs under the Utah Mormon paradise.
Bombs with no markings sold to
those with no future.
Bombs under the Mongolian Gobi desert.
Bombs under the Siberian rock ice.
Bombs on the heads of Afghanistan.
Bombs with Moslem moon and star
of Pakistan.
Bombs with designer shades from France.
Bombs with mantras and incense
reincarnates India.
Bombs from David’s six-pointed star
into Iraq’s oil rigs.
Bombs with red stars over rich
rice fields of Asia.
Bombs with question marks
from South Africa’s white elite.
Bombs with passages from the Koran
canned in Libya.
Bombs from the 14th century of lonely Iran.
Bombs from the ill-reputed saint of
North Korea—Kim Il Sung.
Bombs with no consideration from his
Cousins in South Korea.
Bombs of the underdeveloped nations
Just laying around.
Bombs of the present and former
Super Powers leaving them dumb.
Bombs of the captives getting louder,
Bombs of the captors making them captives.
Bombs with names such as: Trinity, 666, Little Boy, Blister Buster,
Heavy Metal—Bar-B-Qued.
Bombs blessed by drunk church sinners with sweaty palms.
Bombs with no chance of ever learning a trade.
Bombs four days old on the discount table.
Bombs the kind you’ll never see.
Bombs the ones you only have to listen to once—
And you’ll never hear again.